The
lock was built to
replace the falls of both Mr Field’s Weir and Mr Archer’s Weir following
the 1767 Act of Parliament which started the upgrading of the Lee
Navigation.

William Whittenbury’s map of 1741 records the spelling as
F.I.E.L.D, and this spelling was still in place as late as 1904 when it
is shown on the official Lee Conservancy Map signed by Charles Tween,
the Conservancy Engineer. However, in 1917, Mr Tween put his signature
to a document listing the Lee locks and showing F.E.I.L.D.E’S Weir
Lock. But just to confuse matters, when a detailed survey of the Lee
was carried out in 1849, it was shown as F.E.I.L.D.E’S. Take your
pick. (Just to add to the confusion, Rennie in 1804 recorded it as
Crook’s Lock and a map of 1838 shows Crane's Lock - the name of the,
then,
lock keeper)

In the surveys from 1792 it
is recorded as Fields, Field’s, Fielde’s and Feildes – all within the
first eight years.

So who was/were the doubly
eponymous Mr Field/Feilde? Mr Field was a local landowner whose name
recurs on the early maps.

William Feilde is recorded as the owner of
Stanstead Mill between 1739 and 1762 and he was one of the original
Trustees of the river when it was administered by the River Lee Trust
between 1739 and 1868. He died in 1762.

Paul ffielde is recorded in
the Minute Book on
7.2.1771 as the owner of the Weir, but he appears as Paul ffeilde in a
later entry on 1.7. 1782. (The "ff" was the old way of writing a capital
"f".)

Field’s/Feilde’s Weir Lock
was also “unofficially” known as Rattie’s Lock, named after Samuel
Rattee, the Lock keeper
there for 37 years from 1841 until he died on 8th November
1878. His name is phonetically perpetuated in the name of the road
which leads from Hoddesdon to the lock – Ratty’s Lane.

LMA ACC 2423/P853

The plan to the left, drawn in 1855, shows the
old lock house. On 26.10.1877, it was
considered that “the house, though kept very clean, is damp and unfit
for habitation and they recommend that a new house be built facing the
lock, and the present structure be pulled down” (NA
Rail 845/21)

LMA ACC 2423/P343

20.4.1883 The new lock house was insured
for £250 (NA Rail 845/23)

The "present structure" was not pulled
down, as can be seen from the postcard below,

The survey taken in 1878, shows the
layout of Feildes Weir. The Stort enters top centre. The long loop
between the Lock and Weir and the Great Eastern Railway bridge, carrying
the London to Cambridge line, was filled in and replaced with a
straighter channel in the 1970s. The old towpath is still marked by the
line of the fence.

LMA ACC 2423/P343

The postcard to the left shows Feilde’s Weir Lock in about
1920, with the old lock house still standing!

The Conservancy
lock house remains today, the fabric very much the same as when it was
built, except for the addition of modern facilities. However, on 4th
September 2011, it was for sale at £259,950 requiring "complete
modernisation"

The
lock chamber was rebuilt in 1922, to widen it from 13’ 5” to its present
16’. The site plan is below.

LMA ACC 2423/P1892

Feilde’s Weir Lock

Census/Date

Name

Title

Wife

Location given by
enumerator/Comments

Source Reference

1987 - 2011

Bill White

Lock & Weir Keeper

moved from Stanstead Lock. (until retirement)

Carol Byatt

5.1976 - 1987

Danny Ford

Lock & Weir Keeper

ex South Mill Lock, moved to Ponders End Lock

1968- 5.1976

Bill White

Lock and Weir keeper

Appointed 1968. Moved to South Mill Lock

Carol Byatt

13.4.1957

A R P Sherwood

Lock and weir keeper

£7.19.11 plus 5/- on call allowance

LCB Records

Date not certain

Frank Sutton/Southern

Lock keeper

Reported to have taken over from Alfred
Field

Des Devlin/Carol Byatt

31.3.1957

Alfred Field

Lock keeper

Transferred to South Mill Lock

M. Welsh

1951

Alfred Field

Lock keeper

£7.14.11. Also "On call allowance of 5/- per week"

LCB Records

9.6.1948

Alfred Field

Lock keeper

£5.2.6.

LCB Records

4.10.1947

Alfred Field

Lock keeper

Appointed ex Aqueduct Lock at
£4.10.6

NA Rail 845/128

4.10.1947

W J Major

Lock keeper

Transferred to Enfield Lock

NA Rail 845/128

1.4.1938

W J Major

Lock keeper

£1.15.0 to £1.17.0

NA Rail 845/122

1.4.1937

W J Major

Lock keeper

£1.14s to £1.15s (inc house and
garden)

NA Rail 845/121

23.6.1933

William James Major (42)

Lock keeper

Appointed at £1 14s per week with
house and uniform ex Enfield

NA Rail 845

21.6.1933

S J Collett

Lock keeper

Transferred to Enfield

LCB Records

24.6.1932

S J Collett

Lock keeper

Appointed ex Dredger hand at
£1.14.0

LCB Records

27.5.1932

E. M. Weald (67)

Lock keeper

Died suddenly on 26.5.1932, after
35 years service. Left a widow and one son, who is tending the
weir until a new man is appointed

NA Rail 845

31.10.1930

E M Weald (65)

Lock keeper

34 years service , 32/- per week
and house. Wife has no pension

NA Rail 845/114

16.2.1923

E M Weald

Lock keeper

Appointed ex Brick Lock

NA Rail 845/107

16.2.1923

Thomas Martin (72)

Lock keeper

Resignation due to ill health. 23
years service. Pension 8/- per week

16.2.1934 Died

NA Rail 845/107

NA Rail 845/118

27.3.1920

T Martin

Lock keeper

Plus 5/- per week for looking
after weir as well as lock

NA Rail 845/47

14.11.1919

T Martin

Lock keeper

27/- + house, garden, and uniform

NA Rail 845/46

15.2.1918

T Martin

Lock keeper

22/- per week

NA Rail 845/66

1.12.1916

T Martin

Lock keeper

£2 war bonus

NA Rail 845/43

4.3.1915

T Martin

Lock keeper

+2/- per week

NA Rail 845/42

28.2.1913

T Martin

Lock keeper

Wages increased by 1/- per week

NA Rail 845/40

17.1.1913

T Martin

Lock keeper

Slipped and broke small bone in ankle
on 24.10.1912, hopes to resume duty next week. Paid full wages
during off duty time.

NA Rail 845/40

2.4.1911

Thomas Martin (60)

Lock keeper

Hannah

Fields Weir Lock House, Hoddesdon

RG14PN7468 RG78PN361 RD133 SD1 ED6 SN294

4.12.1903

Thomas Martin

Lock keeper

Paid £9 per annum for recording
gaugings every 8 hours

NA Rail 845/31

31.3.1901

Thomas Martin (50)

Lock keeper

Hannah

Fieldes Weir Lock, Essex Road

Hoddesdon/4/

15.9.1899

Thomas Martin

Lock keeper

Appointed - see below

NA Rail 845/29

15.9.1899...I have found a suitable man to fill the vacancy in
Thomas Martin, who has been employed for the past 20 years a
Barge Builder at Ware Barge Docks, he is 47 years of age and a
good scholar. He has been used to the management of Ware
Weir, and also thoroughly understands the working of Locks &c.,
He will take duty on Monday next, when I shall instruct him as
to gauging water etc. - C Tween (LMA ACC
2423/006)

15.9.1899

Thomas Bradfield

Lock keeper

Deceased. Widow be allowed 7/-
per week

NA Rail 845/29

15.9.1899 ...to have to report the death of Thomas Bradfield,
who has been lock keeper and water gauger ...for the last 19
years and was an excellent servant. He leaves a widow aged 52
years and two sons who are apprenticed to us, one as a Carpenter
and the other Blacksmith; she asks if the Board will kindly
consider her case. I may mention that in similar cases the widow
has been granted 7/- per week during the pleasure of the
Board...- C Tween (LMA ACC 2423/006)

5.4.1891

Thomas Bradfield (41)

Lock keeper

Annie

Lock house Essex Rd (nr Railway
Junction House)

Hoddesdon/5/1

20.4.1883

T J Bradfield

Lock keeper

4 years service, 16/- per week

NA Rail 845/23

4.4.1881

Thomas J Bradfield (32)

Lock keeper

Annie

Lock house (Ratteys Lock in
summary)

Broxbourne/4/55

18.7.1879

Thomas Bradfield

Lock keeper

Appointed at 16/- per week

NA Rail 845/21

20.12.1878 A Bill for the
funeral of Samuel Rattee, late Lock keeper at Fielde’s Weir was
laid before the meeting, and, it was resolved, that the board
cannot pay such an account (NA Rail 845/21)

Nov. 1878

Samuel Rattee (70)

Lock keeper

Died after 37 years at the lock
(Appointed 1841). Pension of 7/- a week to his wife (who
died 25.4.1890)

NA Rail 845/21 NA Rail 845/25

2.4.1871

Samuel Rattee (63)

Lock keeper

Jane

Fields Weir Lock House (Ratteys
Lock in summary)

Broxbourne/4/38

8.3.1871 Motion of
Mr Hunt as to the conduct of the Lock keeper of Feilde’s Weir:

“That the conduct
of Ratty (sic) the Lockman at Feilde’s Weir be inquired into”
and “reading a letter from Mr Teale of Rye House dated the 18th
instant stating that Ratty was continually annoying his fishing
customers by preventing them from fishing off the piece of land
there the property of the Board, and by giving permission to
strangers to trespass on his fishing rights” It was resolved
that the Engineer make inquiries into the conduct of Ratty and
report thereon to the Board. It transpired that Ratty was acting
under the Engineer’s instructions and had now been advised of
the correct situation. (NA Rail 845/18)

8.4.1861

Samuel Rattee (52)

Lock keeper

Jane

Lock House Fields Weir (Rattys
Lock in summary)

Broxbourne/4f/

19.4.1860

Samuel Rattee

Lock keeper

2/- less wages per week due to
provision of garden

NA Rail 845/15

21.11.1855

Samuel Rattee

Lock keeper

16/- per week

NA Rail 845/14

21.10.1854

Samuel Rattee

Lock keeper

16/- per week

NA Rail 845/14

30.3.1851

Samuel Rattee(42)

Lock keeper

Jane

Lockhouse on River Lee (nr Rye
Common)

Hoddesdon/3b/42

21.9.1841

Samuel Ratty

Lock keeper

Appointed in place of Jno Crane

NA Rail 845/12

17.8.1841

Jno. Crane

Lock keeper

Deceased

NA Rail 845/12

7.6.1841

John Crane (50)

Lock keeper

Pamela

Millers Lock (nr Rye Common)

Great Amwell/2/16

20.6.1826

John Crane*

Lock keeper

NA Rail 845/10

* 20.6.1826 Minute
recording “It appearing unto this meeting that John Crane has for
the last twenty two years acted as Lock keeper at the lock below
Stanstead but has never been regularly appointed. It is ordered
that he be appointed Lock keeper at the said lock and have the
benefit of the Superannuation Fund to which he has all along
contributed”